Alight with Possibilities

For individuals that live with a visual or cortical impairment, a Light Box can be used to develop awareness of light, color and objects. Recently our Occupational Therapist, Tina, has been working with Joseph on visually scanning and attending that with practice will improve upon his hand-eye coordination, visual discrimination as well as his visual perception skills. Colorful discs, shapes and boxes are placed on the light box and illuminated. His favorite toys and objects can also be placed on it to practice reaching for them at different angles as seen below.

The Light Box, which was purchased through the donor supported St. Joseph Home Possibility Fund, will further benefit Joseph as he enters elementary school and continues to achieve developmental milestones.

There are several residents that have also been successful, utilizing other innovative equipment. One example is a standing device. Standing allows everything in one’s body to work better so when an individual that has weakened motor control is assisted to stand with the use of a device, it greatly increases the function of the cardiovascular, respiratory and gastric systems. Especially during a younger individual’s critical growth years, it aids in bone integrity, skeletal development and can lessen the progression of scoliosis.

Of course, there are many social advantages to being in a stander as well. When Sophia is upright, there is a natural increase in her awareness, as the brain stem is more stimulated, which allows for her to have more alert and engaged interactions. In the stander, she is at eye level with her peers and that also enables her to practice social and developmental skills. Recently, she has been working on her hand-eye coordination to activate a button switch that plays music and colorfully spins as seen below.